


Divided by a Common Language

by nadiacreek



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2013-05-09
Packaged: 2017-12-10 10:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nadiacreek/pseuds/nadiacreek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine and Kurt both pay very close attention to the messages their clothes are sending. The problem is, they don't always understand each other's language.</p><p>This is a 4x21 reaction fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In this fic, we see each day twice: first from Blaine's perspective, and then in the next chapter from Kurt's perspective.

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 1 and 2. For more images, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49513599649/girliesportsjunkie-sconesfortea-had-to-pause) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49510039863) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49628882879/gottriplets-he-is-undressing-blaine-with-his).]

 

\---------------------------

 _Kurt_. It was the first thought in Blaine’s head when he woke up. Today he would see Kurt for the first time since Mr. Schue’s almost-wedding two months ago. And Blaine absolutely had to make a good first impression. Re-impression. Whatever.

The point was, Blaine thought as he stepped into the shower, this was his chance to get back together with Kurt. They acted almost like they were dating now, though they’d never discussed it. They talked on the phone every day, small conversations but real ones. The kind of conversations that had never quite happened in the first few months after Kurt had moved to New York. Kurt was making time for him now, making him a priority, and Blaine felt the difference deep in his bones. They were comfortable together again, after all this time. Almost fully healed up from the wound he’d caused. Now all they had to do was translate that from phone calls to in-person interaction.

Blaine toweled himself off and walked into his closet. He needed the perfect outfit for today. Something that would remind Kurt of what an excellent boyfriend Blaine could be. Something that would evoke a time when everything had been right between them. Something to tell Kurt that Blaine would do absolutely anything for him.

His old Dalton blazer caught his eye, hanging abandoned in the back of the closet. He stepped forward and grabbed the sleeve of it, stroking the fabric with his thumb. He and Kurt had been so innocent back then. Two boys falling in love, with stars in their eyes and nothing but sweetness in their hearts. They’d been so safe at Dalton. So carefree and happy. Blaine missed those days sometimes.

But he wasn’t that boy anymore. He’d grown up, inevitably, for good or ill. He’d cast his lot with Kurt, even when that meant transferring to McKinley. He’d changed and grown, hidden from himself and then grown again. That Dalton blazer didn’t fit him anymore, physically or metaphorically.

Blaine chuckled. Thinking of clothing as a metaphor. It was silly. No, not silly. But it wasn’t a thing he often did. Clothing as a metaphor, fashion as a statement—that was Kurt’s thing.

 _Kurt. Kurt at McKinley._ Kurt was coming back to McKinley today to visit Blaine.

Okay, so that wasn’t quite the purpose of the visit. Kurt was in Lima to support his father, and he was coming to McKinley to visit all of the Glee kids and to help out with preparations for Regionals. But Blaine was part of Kurt’s motivation to visit, too. It had been clear in the shyness of Kurt’s voice on the phone last night. _I’ll see you tomorrow, right?_ Blaine could practically see the slight blush on Kurt’s face. _I’ll be there in time for Glee rehearsal at the latest, and maybe we could get coffee afterward or something?_

Kurt was coming to McKinley for Blaine, just as Blaine had once come to McKinley for Kurt. Blaine had transferred schools for Kurt, notwithstanding his protests at the time that it had been for himself. It had been for Kurt. He’d come to McKinley and made a grand gesture, serenaded Kurt in the courtyard, wearing McKinley colors, with the Cheerios dancing around him.… Blaine turned to look at the red pants he’d worn that day, folded neatly over a hanger. He smiled. Perfect.

Artie had taken a cell phone video of Blaine’s performance that day, nearly two years ago now. The sound quality was terrible, but at least it allowed Blaine to check his own outfit carefully. The black polo shirt he’d worn was long gone, but he had a similar one this season, solid black with a yellow stripe around the collar. Which was actually perfect, because it recalled the yellow sunglasses he’d worn that day, which he couldn’t wear now because it was _April_ , for god’s sake.

He stopped to ponder the bow tie. He still had it, of course. The same one. But he’d stopped wearing so many bow ties lately. Not that Kurt would know. Kurt had barely seen him, except sometimes on Skype in the evenings when he’d already changed out of his school clothes. So the bow tie wouldn’t look weird to Kurt. But it kind of felt weird to Blaine. And anyway, he didn’t want to be _too_ obvious about the repeated outfit. He wanted to create the _impression_ of days past in Kurt’s mind, not the precise repetition of what had happened. He put the bow tie back in the drawer.

Blaine smiled at his reflection in the mirror as he gelled his hair down. He began humming, and then broke into quiet singing halfway through.

_Why can’t this crazy love be mine?_

_It’s not unusual to be mad with anyone._   
_It’s not unusual to be sad with anyone._   
_But if I ever find that you’ve changed at any time,_   
_It’s not unusual to find out that I’m in love with you._

Perfect. This was going to go exactly according to plan. Blaine could sense it.

\--------------------------------------

Blaine’s eyes widened when he saw Kurt. He was hot as fuck. He was so hot that Blaine almost said “fuck” out loud, and Blaine _never_ swore. At least, not outside of the bedroom.

_Bedroom. Kurt. Bedroom._

_Fuck._

Kurt had obviously dressed this way in order to seduce Blaine. There was no other explanation for those gray pants. They must be two sizes too small. They were practically jeggings or something. They hugged Kurt’s ass so that the precise shape of it was visible—that shape that nobody but Blaine should know, displayed to the entire world. Fuck, it was hot. And … Blaine couldn’t even see any panty lines. Not that he was looking for them or anything. But … was Kurt wearing a thong? Or no underwear at all?

Kurt must be _dying_ to get Blaine in bed. It was hard for Blaine to sit still during glee rehearsal. Maybe they could skip coffee and go straight back to Blaine’s house. His parents wouldn’t be home until at least seven tonight. That would give them several hours to … okay, this was not the time and place to think about that, because _glee club rehearsal and all his friends were here_.

Blaine hurried to Kurt’s side as soon as Mr. Schue dismissed the class.

“Hi!” Kurt said brightly, squeezing Blaine’s arm. “I invited Mercedes and Mike to come along to the Lima Bean with us, is that okay?”

“Sure,” Blaine stammered. _But what about your hot as fuck pants that I want to peel off your skin with my teeth?_ he managed not to say.

Of course Kurt wanted to catch up with his other friends. He’d see Blaine every day for the rest of their lives, once all of this got sorted out. Mike and Mercedes … they’d probably never live in the same city with Kurt again. Blaine could be patient. He could wait an hour or so before dragging Kurt into his bedroom and sucking his …

Blaine paused for a moment. He hadn’t intended another frantic hookup. He’d intended a romantic reunion. How had this gone so far off track in his head?

It was those pants.

Well, if that’s what Kurt wanted, it’s what Blaine would give him. Step one: Let Kurt know he’d noticed his outfit and the intention behind it.

“By the way, you look cute today,” Blaine managed to tell Kurt in a private moment as they walked to their table at the Lima Bean. “And I mean, like, _dirty cute_.”

But the mood shifted once they were seated at the table. Kurt was too tense. He needed friends and support, the quiet comfort of holding hands. Of course he did, Blaine thought. His father had cancer. He wasn’t looking for sex today. He was looking for the comfort of the people he cared about.

_Then why had he dressed that way?_

He must have been trying to be strong. Trying to pretend that nothing was wrong. Maybe Kurt was focusing on sex because it was a good distraction from the things he didn’t want to think about. Blaine should have seen right through it from the beginning. But at least he understood it now.

Kurt hugged Blaine before he left. He hugged Mercedes and Mike too. He said he’d promised to be home in time to help Carole cook dinner.

Blaine drove himself home, trying not to be disappointed. He and Kurt had a connection. It was still strong. He could still figure out what Kurt needed, even if he was a bit rusty from lack of practice. Tomorrow would be better. Tomorrow Kurt would get good news, hopefully, at Burt’s doctor appointment, and the rest of his visit would be much happier and more relaxed.

And Blaine would find the perfect outfit to wear, to help with that.


	2. Chapter 2

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 1 and 2. For more images, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49513599649/girliesportsjunkie-sconesfortea-had-to-pause) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49510039863) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49628882879/gottriplets-he-is-undressing-blaine-with-his).]

Kurt felt like he was about to fall apart at the seams, or maybe simply dissolve away. He needed something to hold him together, he thought, looking through his closet. The clothes he’d brought from New York were neatly hung in one section, with the remainder of his old Lima wardrobe filling the rest of the space. He had to find something to wear that would bind all his parts together and prevent them from fracturing.

So many items with ties, chains, hooks … he’d left most of them behind when he’d moved to New York. He didn’t feel chained in his new life. He felt freed. And now, visiting back in Lima, he felt that he’d escaped those chains for good. He didn’t want to feel _bound_ today. He wanted to feel _held_. Embraced. Cocooned.

No chains, then. No corsets laced tight in the back. Something tight-fitting, snug to his body. Something to keep him nestled in a place of comfort. Something to give him the support he felt he needed just to walk upright.

The gray pants were the tightest ones he owned. He tugged them on and immediately felt better. They fit like a glove. A painted-on glove. He twisted this way and that in front of the mirror. His ass looked amazing, too. An extra benefit.

Gray was a bit worrisome, but at least the pants were a very pale shade. Like clouds with a silver lining, perhaps. Just a little bit of puffy, cotton-ball cloud in an otherwise bright, clear sky. The sun shining cheerily, assuring everyone that life was wonderful. Yes, a yellow shirt, that would be just the thing. He slipped on an undershirt for that snug-to-the-body feel, and buttoned his yellow oxford shirt on top of it.

Light blue was absolutely necessary, and it had to be something more than just his socks. Kurt fingered his luxurious blue scarf, trying to decide how to wear it. He tied it around his neck at first, but that felt too tight, like a noose, a harbinger of death. No, that was all wrong. He took it off and then tried again, a loose loop, draped around the back of his neck and hanging down over his chest and stomach. Much better. It hid his body a little bit, creating a shield—not obvious, but quite real—between himself and the world.

He needed something to fasten it with. A few steps brought him to the jewelry box on top of his dresser. Scissors—not today, he wasn’t in the mood. Skull—definitely not. He picked up the airplane brooch. Yes, this would do quite nicely. He was the sky. He was traveling between worlds. New York and Lima. Life and death. Child and adult. Single and together … Where had that thought come from? He took a deep breath and fastened the brooch to the folds of the scarf.

Kurt stood still and took in his reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of his bedroom door. He breathed deeply, in and out. _Clear skies_. He could face this day.

\-------------------------------

Seeing Blaine wasn’t weird anymore, but Kurt wasn’t sure of his emotions at all. Was this the feeling of moving on? Or was it the feeling of coming back? He was so confused in his head. Everything threatened to fly apart. He dropped into a chair in the choir room, and those gray pants did their job, pressing against his skin, pulling on his attention, bringing his mind back to the center and back to reality.

He’d figure out about Blaine later. There was no way to reach any resolution until they knew whether the news about his father was good or bad, anyway. He simply didn’t have the mental space necessary. If the news was good, Kurt would have the opportunity to think clearly for the first time since Christmas. If the news was bad …

 _Why_ had Blaine chosen to wear black today? The color of death, he must know, he must understand …

No, Kurt told himself. This was ridiculous. Blaine wouldn’t even be there for the appointment. He wasn’t even related to Kurt’s father. It made no difference what he wore.

And there was something else to Blaine’s clothing choice, but Kurt couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The outfit looked so familiar. It finally clicked into place when Blaine sat down at the piano to play for Kitty’s solo.

_The piano had caught fire._

Kurt had to look away. And a good thing he did, too, because he noticed that the clock was at 3:27. He waited for it to tick over to the next minute, then discreetly tapped his nose.

He couldn’t be alone with Blaine today. Not when he was wearing that outfit that recalled _death_ and _fire_. It was silly, he knew. But the rituals were the only thing keeping him together right now. And it was just one more day to wait. Tomorrow they would know. After that, he could focus on other things again. Right now, he couldn’t fight down this feeling of fear and dread. It was a hopeless battle. All he could do was try his best to hide it.

Kurt leaned over to Mercedes and asked if she and Mike would be up for a trip to the Lima Bean after glee rehearsal. He was grateful that she said yes. He needed the buffer between himself and Blaine right now.

\-------------------------

_Marriage. Dirty-cute. Vaporape._

It was too much to handle, and not even those gray pants and the careful stack of sugar packets kept Kurt together in that moment. It was a small explosion, but it was more of his vulnerability than Kurt had wanted to show to his friends. But when Blaine took Kurt’s hand in both of his … well, that was better comfort than the tightest clothes in the world.

Tomorrow would be good news. Tomorrow would be safety and happiness and the chance to start again. Kurt was sure of it. As sure as he could be, at least.


	3. Chapter 3

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 3 and 4. For more images, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49645043300) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49556046350/same-vest-different-color-same-vest-different) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49521218157). For a moving gif of this moment, which I discuss in the fic, click [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49643180153/sothinky-nadiacreek-theres-a-place-in-you).]

This was Burt’s big day. The day he would receive the news from his doctor and find out whether his initial round of treatment had worked. Blaine knew that Kurt would be even more stressed out than yesterday. Kurt was here to support his father, but he would need the support of his family, too.

Blaine had been an honorary part of the Hummel family for a long time now. He’d worried that breaking up with Kurt would be the end of that, but it hadn’t been. By Christmas, Burt had been treating him like a member of the family again, and Kurt seemed to be coming around to that too. He and Kurt weren’t officially back together yet, but they were still best friends, and the closest friends are basically family.

Blaine lay back against his pillow, staring at the ceiling, thinking about what he could wear that would make his appearance match this idea of membership in Kurt’s family. He’d spent so much time with the Hummels that it all ran together. Friday night dinners week after week for a year and a half. Weekends spent hanging out at the house. Fourth of July parties and day trips to Columbus. Nothing stood out in his head. There was no iconic moment he could recapture.

He certainly did not want to replicate the embarrassing morning, hungover and confused in Kurt’s bed, when he’d first met Burt Hummel. Anything but that.

Still, nothing came to mind. Blaine started thinking about the times Kurt had met his parents. Again, they were too numerous to remember. Kurt had been over at his house several times a week while they were dating. His parents weren’t home half the time, and when they were, they’d been in the background. He couldn’t remember Kurt ever having a substantive conversation with them. The first dinner that Kurt had been invited to at their house was an important moment, but Blaine had worn a suit for that and he couldn’t dress that way for an ordinary school day.

This was good, though, Blaine thought. The fact that there were so few standout moments with each other’s families meant that they were … well, familiar. They actually _were_ family to each other, and the banality of it was the proof.

The only unusual moment was when Cooper had met Kurt. He lived in Los Angeles, and he’d only visited that one time last year. It had been a pretty emotional visit for Blaine, and parts of it stood out vividly in his head. The moment he had proudly introduced his _boyfriend_ to his famous brother in the hallway at McKinley … yes, he remembered that outfit. He’d worn the red pants yesterday, but jeans would do just fine. It was the sweater that stood out in his memory, the gray cardigan with the black and white stripes. Cooper had put his hand on Blaine’s shoulder, and then Kurt had done the same thing a few moments later … yes, he could wear that sweater again.

He’d had a white button-down and a sweater vest under it when Cooper had visited, but the weather was too warm for that many layers, so he paired it with a white polo shirt today. He decided against including the bowtie, too. It was really the sweater that stood out in his mind. The sweater that he’d worn when he introduced Cooper to the little family that he was beginning to form with Kurt.

Today also, Blaine would be Kurt’s family. The sweater would remind both of them. And everything would turn out just fine.

\---------------------------------

Glee club really was a family. Otherwise, how would they convince everyone to give up their lunch hour for an extra rehearsal in the auditorium? But here they all were, loving the extra practice because they were surrounded by friends who had become family.

Mercedes drew Kurt into the song first, and then Blaine did too. Not too much focused attention, just a few bars dancing with Kurt during his solo portion before turning to spin Artie around. Kurt did loosen up a bit during the song, moving in from the outskirts of the circle to dance a little bit more toward the center. Even the fact that he was dancing at all was good. But his tension seemed to return right away when the song finished.

Kurt’s arms, mostly bare in that t-shirt, were a bit of a distraction. Fortunately his pants weren’t quite as tight as yesterday’s. Blaine was able to keep his mind from straying to places that were too dirty. At least for now. Blaine couldn’t figure out Kurt’s outfit, though. It seemed … playful. Not exactly the mood Blaine had expected on a day like this, and quite at odds with Kurt’s facial expressions and the air of tension surrounding him so obviously that it was practically a visible entity.

But that tension was temporary. The news today at the doctor’s office would be good—Blaine _had_ to believe that—and Kurt would be feeling a lot better after that. And if it wasn’t good … well, if it wasn’t good, Blaine would be here to support him through the next steps. It was still very early stage, after all, and there were plenty more treatment options, and … No. The news would be good.

Kurt flashed Blaine a smile before he left. Was it hopeful? Nervous? Thankful? Maybe all of the above.

\------------------------------

It turned out the news was good. Blaine was surprised that Kurt hadn’t texted him from the doctor’s office as soon as they found out. Instead, he told everyone all together when he got back to McKinley for the afternoon glee club rehearsal. Blaine pushed down the sting of bitterness. Surely Kurt hadn’t meant to slight him. He probably just wanted to see his reaction in person. So Blaine made sure that the only reaction that showed on his face was joy. Because he really was joyful. Unconditionally thrilled that Burt had a clean bill of health. It was just that after all he’d done, he’d expected to be told first… but no matter. Burt was healthy, Kurt was ecstatic, and those were the important things.

Blaine was thrilled to see Burt, too. He wasn’t jealous that Mr. Schue got a hug, but Burt only gave Blaine a handshake and a “what’s up?” on his way to taking a seat. That would be petty. And anyway, Burt had at least acknowledged him. He hadn’t greeted any of the other kids in the room. Not even Sam, who had lived at his house for a while last year.

Blaine shifted in his chair, trying to give his full attention to Kurt’s introduction of his song. It was sweet. Touching. It was about second chances. Even though Kurt didn’t glance in his direction at all, Blaine wondered if that same sentiment might apply to him. _Life’s most treasured and wonderful gift_ —it certainly would be that, if Kurt would give him a second chance. Blaine would treasure it, treasure _him_ , forever.

Oh, and that ass when he turned around, look at that. Wow.

It was such a relief to see Kurt playful and silly like this. Blaine knew Kurt better than practically anyone, and he knew that it was rare for Kurt to feel comfortable enough to let this side of himself show. He longed to join in with the dance, but as slapped-together as the choreography was, it was in fact choreography and he wasn’t part of it. So he chair-danced from his seat in the audience instead.

Kurt danced himself into the empty chair next to his father, and Blaine leaned in behind them to take part. It was a family moment, the three of them, wasn’t it? But Kurt and Burt focused like lasers on each other. They didn’t even notice his presence. He turned his head to the side, looking up at the girls dancing on chairs beside him, hoping that the hurt didn’t show on his face.

He’d been deluding himself. He was not part of this family at all. Maybe he would be someday. Maybe he would eventually be the husband that Kurt turned to in times of trouble. Maybe he’d eventually be the most important person in Kurt’s life, the one that Kurt could not bear to lose, the one he clung to as the other half of himself. But Blaine did not play that role right now. Not even close to it. He wasn’t family. He was just a friend. And right now, Kurt was completely ignoring him because someone much more important was in the room.

Which, when Blaine thought about it, was pretty much what had happened when Kurt had met Cooper. The three of them hadn’t bonded as a happy family. Kurt had become a crazed fanboy, jumping up and down and shrieking, then staring at Cooper from every angle. Blaine had been ignored except as a point of comparison to Cooper. Much like he was disappearing into the shadow of Burt Hummel today.

This sweater was all wrong. It was a stupid, stupid choice to wear it today.

Tomorrow he’d do better. Tomorrow he would choose clothes that had drawn Kurt’s focus straight to him and him alone. Was that selfish? Perhaps. But tomorrow, with the fear of losing his father completely gone from Kurt’s mind, wasn’t that an okay time for Blaine to be a little bit selfish?


	4. Chapter 4

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 3 and 4. For more images, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49645043300) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49556046350/same-vest-different-color-same-vest-different) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49521218157).]

Kurt drummed his fingers against his thigh as he stared into the mirror. There was something wrong with this outfit, but he didn’t know what it was. How could something be wrong with this outfit? He’d planned it for weeks. The fateful day of his father’s follow-up appointment. Everything had to be exactly perfect, or it could all end in horror.

The t-shirt had been the first item he’d chosen. He’d known it was the right one from the very moment he’d seen it in the Vivienne Westwood spring collection. Pale blue for clear skies, with an interesting floral design that was colorful without being overwhelming. The flower buds were just beginning to pop open—the start of spring, a new beginning, life and health and joy. He’d bought it at full price. He needed it. Couldn’t wait for it to go on sale.

He’d paired it with a pair of yellow pants for sunshine in the clear sky. The gray silk vest he’d left in his closet in Lima was precisely as he remembered it, just right for tempering the happiness of the rest of the outfit. The power of positive thinking was important, but too much was just asking for it to backfire.

The vest also worked as a little nod to Blaine—Kurt had worn it on Blaine’s first day in glee club last year, the day after the triumphant-slash-disastrous performance Blaine had referenced yesterday. He wondered if Blaine would notice. He wondered if Blaine even remembered what he’d been wearing that day. But it had been a good day, overcoming the trauma Mr. Schue had put them all through with his ill-conceived “Purple Piano Project,” and turning it into the joy of song and dance. You Can’t Stop the Beat indeed—not the music, and not his father’s heartbeat.

Kurt grinned at himself in the mirror, pleased to find a second level of meaning in the outfit he’d put together. But his smile faded quickly. There was still something wrong. What could it be? He tried to narrow it down in his mind. The problem certainly wasn’t with the shirt. And he didn’t think it was with the vest. So it must be …

Of course! It was blindingly obvious once he realized it. The yellow pants. Yellow was the color of the sun at midday. This was not a midday outfit. This was meant to be the dawning of a new day. Sunrise. He practically ripped his pants off and shoved them back in the drawer, taking out an orange pair instead. Thank goodness he’d overpacked even more than he normally did. He’d almost left these pants in New York, because honestly, who wears orange pants?

He checked his reflection in the mirror. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

He just hoped Tina wouldn’t be upset that he’d messed up the color scheme for their dance number this afternoon. He thought about texting her, but it was too late, she’d be at school already.

Kurt shrugged his shoulders. If a poorly-costumed dance number was the worst thing to happen to him today, he would be eternally grateful. This outfit was just what he needed to ensure the best outcome for his father.

\---------------------------------

Why was Blaine wearing black _again_? Okay, so this time it was mostly gray, but there were black stripes on his cardigan and his jeans were a very dark shade of blue. Exactly the shade of blue Kurt had asked his father not to wear. Somehow he had forgotten to mention it to Blaine. But Blaine should know! Blaine actually paid attention to his clothes and what they were saying. He shouldn’t have to be reminded.

Blaine looked so out of place among the other glee club members, too. Everyone was wearing brightly-colored spring clothes, and there was Blaine in gray and black and navy. What was he thinking? It made no sense. Was he in mourning already?

He didn’t seem to be. He was cheerful enough, joining in with Mercedes’s song. The feeling was contagious, and Kurt let himself be pulled into the performance. When Blaine danced up to him and moved with him for a few short seconds, there was no feeling in the world other than excitement and joy.

But it was over as quickly as it began. Kurt rushed off right after the song, to meet his father at the doctor’s office.

The rest of the day was nothing but a blur. Fear and relief and excitement and relief again and a performance and his father, _dad, dad, dad,_ and all the tension falling away. Thank god he’d worn the right clothes. He went out to dinner with his family to celebrate, and by the end of the night he was so emotionally exhausted that he fell into bed without even moisturizing.

He woke up again at midnight and did it, though. And he sent a quick text Blaine while he was up.

_Sorry I forgot to call tonight. Crazy day! I’ll talk to you tomorrow._


	5. Chapter 5

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 5 and 6. There are no good views of Blaine's outfit in the episode, unfortunately. I could easily be wrong about those being the same pants, but they at least look similar. For more images of Kur'ts outfit, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49514092304). Thanks to gettinglostinneverland for the screencap that I used for Blaine's picture here.]

Blaine hit the snooze button on his alarm clock three times. He was exhausted. He’d stayed up until 11:30 waiting for Kurt to call, and only went to bed when the fear of being too tired to do well on his second-period English quiz became overwhelming. He absolutely needed to keep his grades up if he was going to have any chance of getting into NYADA.

He was almost half an hour behind schedule by the time he dragged himself out of bed and into the shower, and he didn’t notice Kurt’s text message until he’d finished toweling himself off. _I’ll talk to you tomorrow_.

He stood there naked, phone in his hand, trying to think through this in his sleepy, caffeine-deprived state. Was it just a “see you tomorrow” sign-off? Or did Kurt mean that he actually wanted to talk seriously about something today? It was their first real chance to talk. If Kurt wanted to take the opportunity, Blaine had to make sure that he was prepared.

A chill ran through him, the water from the shower evaporating off his skin in the cold morning air. Blaine opened his top drawer and pulled out the first pair of sweatpants he saw. He noticed, with a smile, that they were the pair he’d been wearing after the opening night of West Side Story last year. The night he’d apologized to Kurt for the whole mess with Sebastian, and Kurt had forgiven him unreservedly. The night he and Kurt had made love for the first time. This was a good omen.

Now to find the perfect outfit to wear to school. He took a deep breath and opened his closet. What would draw Kurt’s attention to him and him alone? What would recall a time when things were happy and innocent between them? What would inspire Kurt to forgive and forget?

Several dozen clothing changes later, Blaine happened to glance at the clock. His eyes widened. He was late. Beyond late. School was _already starting_. Blaine Anderson was never late to school. He grabbed his books, shoved them into his schoolbag, slipped on the first pair of shoes he could reach, and ran out the door.

He was halfway to school before he realized he hadn’t changed into an actual outfit. He was wearing a black sweater with some white trim, and … _the sweatpants, oh my god_. There wasn’t time to turn the car around, he’d miss his entire first period class. This was a disaster. Complete, utter, total disaster of embarrassment.

It wasn’t until he slid into a chair at the back of his math class, twenty minutes late and holding a detention slip from Principal Figgins’s office, that he realized he wasn’t even wearing any underwear.

\---------------------------------

Kurt looked perfectly put together and _gorgeous_ , of course. Blaine almost left the room when he saw him, but it was glee club rehearsal and he had to go in.

“Oh my _god_ , Blaine, what are you _wearing_?” Kurt clapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry, I’m just … really surprised. Are you feeling okay?”

Blaine glared at him. “I thought we were having dance rehearsal today.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes. “And so you wore your sweatpants all day long? Or you changed only your pants, but decided to ruin your designer sweater?”

It was a stupid, ill-thought-out lie, so Blaine abandoned it and grasped for another one. “I … got slushied earlier today. I had to change into my gym clothes.”

“You got slushied only on your pants?”

“Look, you’re the one wearing _moths_ on your shirt, don’t judge me.”

“This is an Alexander McQueen,” Kurt said in a haughty tone.

“Fine, well … fine.” Blaine slammed his messenger bag onto the floor and settled in a chair, arms crossed. Kurt sat down across the room.

 _That was not what was supposed to happen_ , Blaine shouted in his mind.


	6. Chapter 6

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 5 and 6. There are no good views of Blaine's outfit in the episode, unfortunately. I could easily be wrong about those being the same pants, but they at least look similar. For more images of Kur'ts outfit, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49514092304). Thanks to gettinglostinneverland for the screencap that I used for Blaine's picture here.]

Kurt drew in a deep, healing breath. The weather was still cool, but he felt like spring. The world was joyous and bursting with new life. Plants that had seemed nearly dead were born anew. Just like his father. Just like himself. He felt like he’d been lying dormant, nestled in a hiding place for months, and now he was ready to emerge and enjoy his life again. He felt _green_.

He started with the moss green pants. He looked through his shirts in the closet, thinking about what would match both his pants and his mood. The new McQueen shirt, yes, that would be lovely. The moth print was a bit unusual, but it was perfect for spring and for his sense of awakening and coming out of hiding. Hadn’t he felt the need to cocoon himself just a few days ago? Moths would be quite the metaphorical statement, even for him. He wondered if Blaine would like it.

He buttoned the shirt up, and then paused and undid the second button. Normally it would feel too exposed, but today he felt like putting himself out there, showing a bit more skin than usual. The white fabric was close to translucent and he hadn’t put on an undershirt, but somehow this look seemed right. He even rolled up the short sleeves a little bit more. He nodded at his reflection. There was no need to hide. No need for layers today.

He tucked the shirt into his pants and stared at himself in the mirror, starting to think about accessories. The pants were a bit loose, so he went for a belt. One of his standards that he wore all the time, a plain brown one with a decorative anchor-shaped clasp. Not a nautical theme today, but he did feel much more anchored to reality than he had been for the past two days. Perhaps his father was his anchor. Perhaps Lima was. Perhaps … well, it didn’t matter what specifically was anchoring him. He felt it, and that was enough.

The outfit still looked unfinished, though. A scarf, perhaps. He chose a small, greenish blue one that would complement the pants and the shirt and also bring out his eyes. And … maybe a hat. Why not? He was feeling happy, so he would decorate himself with whatever accessories caught his fancy.

He looked in the mirror again, and adjusted the angle of his hat. Yes, this would do quite nicely. Spring. Joy. Not hiding himself. It would be a great day.

\-------------------------------

Kurt was pacing the auditorium stage, alone. Mercedes had gone home to talk to her mom about the situation with her producer, and Mike had gone off to run through some dance routines with Jake. Which left Kurt to stay here and worry about how rude he’d been to Blaine earlier in the day. He needed to apologize, but first he wanted to work through what he was feeling. It was all so confused in his head.

He ran out of time, though. From up on stage, he saw Blaine enter the auditorium through a side door and walk to the center aisle. Kurt smiled sadly at him.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine said, climbing up the stairs to the stage. “I’m having a bad day, and a fashion disaster, and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have, and I’m sorry. Can we start over?”

Kurt nodded. Blaine was right in front of him now, standing face to face with him on the stage. “I recognize those pants, you know.”

“Oh.” Blaine blushed a little bit.

Kurt took Blaine’s hand in his and held it to his heart. “I could never forget.”

“ _Kurt_ …” Blaine’s voice was ragged and broken.

There was so much history here. Here in this auditorium. Here between the two of them. Here in his heart. Maybe that’s why Kurt couldn’t bring himself to actually move on. It was all _too much_. He leaned in and kissed Blaine’s lips softly. It felt so right. Why did it have to feel _so right_?

“You take my breath away,” Blaine whispered.

Kurt took a step back and turned around, trying to compose himself by shutting off his view of Blaine. He’d said no hookups, and here he was, about to fall into this thing again.

“Kurt?”

He turned around to face Blaine again. It was probably a mistake. He could never resist those eyes, now dark with desire and hope, at the same time glistening with tears. It tugged on Kurt’s heart and he sniffed a little, trying not to cry.

“What do you _want_ , Kurt?” Blaine pleaded.

Kurt shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. I just … don’t know. I’m sorry.” He ran off the stage, into the wings and out the back door to the hallway. He had to get home. He couldn’t see Blaine again today. He was a moth drawn inevitably to Blaine’s flame, even knowing that the fire might burn him to death.

But would it? Was Blaine’s fire one of destruction or one of warmth and comfort? Kurt didn’t know. He didn’t even know how he could figure it out. Was there even any way to know in advance? Perhaps he’d never know unless he made the choice to fly right into that flame, for better or worse. Would he go out in a blaze of glory, or find himself home at his familiar hearth?

He’d been trying to avoid it. Trying to stay away, move on, leave this broken heart behind him. But now, he wasn’t sure that option was even possible.

He needed a bit more space. Another sleep, another day, another chance at approaching the situation with a clear head. Another try, tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 7 and 8. For more images, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49783671585) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49745553629).]

The only thing that had been clear to Blaine yesterday was that Kurt didn’t know what he wanted. But that was fine for now. He had enough certainty for the both of them. Once Kurt understood the level of Blaine’s devotion to him, he would come around. Blaine had toyed with the idea of proposing for a while now. Ever since they’d hooked up at the wedding, really. It was a dangerous move, he knew, but Kurt loved romance and the grandiosity of a musical, and Blaine thought he’d appreciate the sentiment. He was pretty sure it would work.

If only he could get Burt Hummel on his side, he would be assured of success.

He’d need to dress a bit more formally to talk to Burt today. Asking for his future fiance’s father’s blessing was an important thing, even if Burt was a very casual kind of guy himself. Blaine wanted to look as dapper as possible. He considered wearing a blazer, but that seemed like too much. This wasn’t the proposal itself, after all. And he didn’t want to seem off-putting or pretentious.

Maybe a button-down shirt with a sweater vest over it. It was one of his standard looks, and he thought it always seemed very put-together and respectable. Just how you’d want your future son-in-law to look. The gray sweater vest with the red and white tipping around the edges, that one would do nicely. Staid, responsible, mature.

Blaine remembered, Kurt had brought him flowers one day when he was wearing that vest. It was during the auditions for West Side Story, when they’d both auditioned for the role of Tony. Blaine hadn’t meant to. He was going to let Kurt take the spotlight, because Kurt was amazing and Kurt needed that role for his NYADA application. He’d meant to give everything to Kurt … until the directors had talked him into being considered for Tony, too.

He’d thought Kurt would be mad. He’d worked up a whole apology in his head, everything he was going to do to make it up to Kurt. But instead, Kurt had surprised him with flowers. Kurt had been so understanding about the whole thing. It was part of what he’d always loved about Kurt, the ability to surprise him, to not get jealous, to understand that the two of them had lots in common but were different people with different strengths and different goals. Two people who worked very, very nicely together.

What shirt had he been wearing that day?

\----------------------------------

Kurt pranced into the room and tipped his chin up to Blaine in greeting, and at the same time … what even was that? Had he blown a kiss to Blaine? Or mouthed some words? Was it … Blaine had no idea, the moment passed in the blink of an eye and Kurt took a seat at the front of the room with Mercedes and Mike, not sparing another glance in Blaine’s direction.

Which was probably a good thing, because Blaine was completely flabbergasted by Kurt’s outfit and his behavior. He carried himself with a confidence that seemed almost cocky, but Blaine wondered if it might be nothing more than acting. Because Kurt was wearing _jeans and a t-shirt_. Granted, the jeans were forest green and the t-shirt had probably cost something like a hundred dollars at some trendy New York boutique. But still, Blaine couldn’t remember seeing him in a t-shirt and jeans since … ever.

It wasn’t even a very interesting t-shirt, just a plain heathered orangey brown with a blue contrast pocket. Which was even more confusing, because neither of those colors particularly matched with the green pants, and … Blaine’s head was starting to hurt. Was non-matching on trend this season? He’d spent more time poring over comic books than Vogue recently, but he thought he would have remembered something like _that_.

Well, he was going to be talking to Burt right after this. Maybe something he said would give a clue as to Kurt’s mood today.

\-----------------------------------------

Burt turned out not to have any clues. He didn’t understand what Blaine was going through, not in the least. And the nerve, saying that Blaine was “like family” after he’d been so deliberately excluded just two days ago. The whole thing was insulting. Blaine punched his fists in the air, seething with anger.

“Have you seen my dad?”

Blaine snapped his head up just in time to see Kurt walking out from behind the stage curtain.

“He was here a minute ago,” Blaine said. “He just left.”

Kurt chuckled. “He was probably trying to find me. He’s supposed to drive me home. Sold my car when I went to New York, remember?”

“Yeah. I remember.”

“Hey, we’re having family dinner and movie night tonight. Why don’t you come?” Kurt asked.

Blaine nearly snapped at him, but he took a deep breath in and composed himself. “No, I … if it’s family night, I don’t want to intrude.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, smiling, apparently not picking up on Blaine’s anger at all. “When have you ever not been included in family night?”

_Two days ago_. “It’s really nice of you to offer, but …”

“Come on,” Kurt said. He walked up and linked arms with Blaine. “I want you there. Please?”

Just like that, Blaine’s resentment and anger disappeared. “Okay,” he whispered.

 


	8. Chapter 8

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 7 and 8. For more images, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49783671585) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49745553629).]

Kurt sighed. This hardly even qualified as an outfit. It was nothing more than an assemblage of clothing. A very small assemblage of clothing. One shirt and one pair of pants, and that was it. It didn’t even exactly match. Well, it didn’t not-match, but it wasn’t cohesive overall. It made no statement. It didn’t even have a theme. But he’d been through his closet and his drawers and his accessories bins and his jewelry box several times over, and he simply couldn’t think of anything better. He hoped he wasn’t losing his touch. Vogue.com would not be very pleased with him if he suddenly lost his fashion sense.

He felt so exposed without any extra layers or ornaments. Stripped down practically to his skin. Sure, there were plenty of people who wore a t-shirt and jeans to school every day. Finn, for example. Or that new, lankier Finn who was in glee club now. But Kurt would normally never even think of going out like this.

It fit his mood pretty well, actually, now that he thought of it. He didn’t feel put together at all. He felt raw, unmatched, a patchwork of feelings that didn’t quite fit with one another. He felt like he’d shown too much of himself to Blaine the day before, and also not quite enough. He didn’t know what he wanted to express. That was it, he realized. He couldn’t find an outfit to express himself today because he had no idea what he wanted to express.

_Just me, then_ , he thought. He walked out of his room, trying to feign confidence with every acting trick he’d learned so far at NYADA.

\-------------------------------------------

Why must Blaine be so adorable? Kurt had as much fashion sense as pretty much anyone in the world, and yet somehow this preppy look could completely melt him into nothing. He sat in the front row for Mercedes’s song because otherwise he’d have to look at Blaine and he wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else.

He couldn’t stay away from him forever, though. When rehearsal ended and everyone was milling about, Kurt walked up to Blaine and straightened the edge of his collar. “Last time I saw you in this outfit, you had a bowtie with it,” he said. “Actually, now that I think of it, I haven’t seen you in a bow tie all week. Why is that?”

Blaine shrugged. “I’m not really sure. They just don’t seem to _fit_ the way they used to.”

“Hmm. Were the bow ties just a phase? I’m glad I was around for it, then. I liked them.”

Blaine smiled at him. “Maybe I’ll start wearing them again someday. I have to go, though … I’m meeting someone.”

Kurt watched him leave. They still hadn’t really talked about anything, but Kurt didn’t stop him because he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say.

\-------------------------------------------------

“At what age do people lose their appreciation of movie marathons?” Kurt asked. The opening credits of the second Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie began to play, and he returned to his seat on the couch next to Blaine. The two of them were alone in the living room now that his father and Carole had gone to bed.

Blaine laughed and took his hand, interlacing their fingers. Kurt leaned his head onto Blaine’s shoulder. He had to admit, there were benefits to just the two of them being there. He was still surprised at how much comfort there was between them. It was practically as if nothing had ever happened. He felt exactly as he had when they’d done movie nights like this a year ago. Curled up against Blaine’s warmth, happiness in his heart, completely at ease.

“Kurt?” Blaine asked after a few minutes. “Do you think Finn and Rachel will ever get back together?”

It was a weird question, out of nowhere. Blaine wasn’t close friends with either of them, and he’d never seemed concerned with their relationship before.

“I don’t know,” Kurt said. “Rachel keeps talking about moving on, but she gets this look in her eyes whenever anyone mentions Finn, you know? And he’s not about to give up on her anytime soon. So, maybe, I guess.”

“Do you think it would be a good idea if they did?”

Kurt stared off into the distance, thinking about it, still confused at the line of questioning. “It’s hard to say. They’ve both done a lot of growing up in the past year. I guess the question is whether they’re growing apart, or back together. Whether they can still make each other happy. I just don’t know.”

Blaine made a soft humming noise, and then he was quiet for a minute. He turned his head and buried his nose into Kurt’s hair. “You still make me happy,” he whispered, so softly that Kurt could barely hear it. Probably Blaine hadn’t meant for him to hear it.

_You still make me happy, too._

Oh.

_Oh._

Kurt kept his eyes on the television screen, but he held Blaine’s hand a little bit tighter. It was all coming into focus now, the clouds of confusion melting away as he finally listened to what was in his heart. He wanted Blaine back. He wanted them to be together again.

He could make it happen right now, if he wanted to. Blaine would be his in an instant, there was no doubt about it, no question. All Kurt had to do was ask, and they would be boyfriends again. They could go upstairs right now, pour their hearts out to each other in words or let their bodies do the talking for them. It would be such a relief. It would be exactly what Kurt wanted.

Something held him back. It was one thing to admit it in his head, but another thing to say it out loud. If Blaine was the one to ask, if Kurt could be the one to follow along and agree, it would be so much easier. And why shouldn’t Blaine be the one to do the hard work and stick his neck out? He was the one who had messed things up in the first place.

He would wait, he decided. Cuddled together on the couch here, watching a romantic movie … that was enough for tonight. Kurt would be in Lima for a few days more. If Blaine could work up the courage to ask, Kurt would welcome that. He’d do everything he could to encourage it, in fact. And if not … well, then maybe Kurt would take the plunge himself.

He knew what he wanted now. The rest would happen, one way or another.


	9. Chapter 9

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 9 and 10. The screencap is a cropped version of one made by gettinglostinneverland. For more images of these outfits, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49523686753) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49527848087/nadiacreek-the-cimmerians-earth-day-may-have). For the 'Tribute to Orange' outfits, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49523630669/twobirdsonesong-kllllllllaaaaaaiiiiiinnnnneeee) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49593006711/blaine-anderson-shipley-halmos-polo) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49628843384).]

Blaine’s finger hovered over the “call” button on his phone. Kurt was going to be at school for glee club rehearsal in the afternoon again, but he had no idea what his plans were for the morning and he didn’t want to wake him up. He decided to send a text message instead. The notification beep would be quieter than the ring tone.

_ru awake?_

Blaine stared at his phone for at least thirty seconds before the answer came back. _yeah what’s up?_

_Fashion emergency, can I call?_

_of course_

Kurt’s voice sounded groggy with sleep when he answered.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake you up,” Blaine said.

“It’s fine,” Kurt said. “I am available twenty-four hours a day for fashion emergencies. What’s the problem?”

“I thought I had a shirt to wear for Artie’s ridiculous ‘Tribute to Orange’ this afternoon. I bought it a couple of weeks ago, and it definitely looked orange under the lights at the mall. But now that I’m looking at it in my room, it looks red. Like, really really bright red.”

“Hmm.” Kurt sounded thoughtful. “How do you think it’s going to look under the auditorium lights?”

Blaine gave an exasperated sigh. “That’s the question I was going to ask _you_.”

“Oh. Right.”

There was silence.

“Do you want me to send a picture?” Blaine suggested. “I could take one on my phone…”

“No, there’s no way the colors would come through clear. It wouldn’t help. Let me think. What pants were you going to wear with it?”

“I’m not sure,” Blaine said. “Maybe one of the red ones, or I have this bright yellow pair. Artie did say yellow was a good option.”

“Well, why don’t you wear the shirt with the yellow pants. That way, if it looks red, at least you’ll be red and yellow, like a deconstructed orange.”

Blaine got the yellow pants out of his drawer and laid them across the bed, then set the shirt on top. “I’m not sure about this, Kurt. It kind of looks like the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.”

“Well, you know ... if you were an Oscar Meyer Weiner…” Kurt giggled.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Har har har, very funny.”

“Mystery shirt, yellow pants. That’s my official fashion-expert verdict, take it or leave it.”

“Fine,” Blaine said. “But if I look ridiculous up there, I’m blaming you.”

“I always take responsibility for my failures,” Kurt said. Blaine wondered whether that was true. They still hadn’t had a serious talk about the problems that had led to them breaking up. Not that it was all Kurt’s fault, not at all. But maybe he’d realized the part he’d played even without having a discussion about it. They did talk on the phone much more often now, and Kurt really _listened_ in a way that he often hadn’t before.

“See you at school, Blaine,” Kurt said.

He hung up the phone and sighed. There was still the matter of picking out his ordinary clothes, because he certainly was not going to wear the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile outfit all day long. He folded the clothes neatly and placed them in his school bag, then turned back to his closet.

He’d spent the whole week trying to recreate his past with Kurt. He’d wanted to recall their sweetest moments together, if not actually relive them. But maybe it was time for a new approach. Kurt was right, they had both grown quite a lot in their time apart. Blaine felt … not like a new person, exactly, but at least he felt that he’d learned a lot about himself. About what it meant to trust. About accepting his darker urges and realizing that he was fundamentally a good person nonetheless. Which was the first step to controlling those urges and not acting on them. And he had learned, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would always be in love with Kurt and always want to share his life with him.

So maybe it was time to stop living in the past. Maybe it was time to just be himself, and remind Kurt that Blaine—all of him, as he was now—was perfect for him. It had been a hard road, but he’d come through it a stronger person than he’d been before. For the first time in a long time, Blaine felt like he had some power. Asking Kurt to marry him, focusing on the future that they would build together, that was the way through.

No more recreating moments from their past, then. Blaine picked out a dark purple polo shirt that he’d worn many times before, but not on any particular occasion that stuck out in his memory. He paired it with some ordinary black pants. Just himself. The new him. Confident and ready. This was going to work.

\----------------------------------

It wasn’t that he chickened out. It was that he decided there would be better ways to ask. More dramatic. With a ring. And maybe a song. This proposal was something they would remember for the rest of their lives, and Blaine wanted it to be truly special.

Even though Kurt was standing there in the hallway looking at him, so open and eager, practically batting his eyes for god’s sake. Somehow he managed to look adorable and stunning at the same time, in an outfit that seemed completely ordinary—stylishly ripped jeans that Blaine was sure he’d seen before, and a dark t-shirt with a light vest worn open. Blaine knew that Kurt was everything he wanted, and the fear of losing him, if this proposal was the wrong move … or if it wasn’t romantic enough to meet Kurt’s expectations … it was too much.

So he decided to wait a little while. Just a little delay, to make sure everything was as it should be.

But they were arm in arm, talking about how wonderful it was to be together again. They were dancing on stage, sharing a microphone. They were singing about needing each other.

Everything would be all right. He’d ask Kurt soon. When the moment came, it would be perfect. Patience, and love would win out.


	10. Chapter 10

[Note: These are the outfits discussed in chapters 9 and 10. The screencap is a cropped version of one made by gettinglostinneverland. For more images of these outfits, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49523686753) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49527848087/nadiacreek-the-cimmerians-earth-day-may-have). For the 'Tribute to Orange' outfits, check [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49523630669/twobirdsonesong-kllllllllaaaaaaiiiiiinnnnneeee) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49593006711/blaine-anderson-shipley-halmos-polo) and [here](http://nadiacreek.tumblr.com/post/49628843384).]

Maybe Kurt should be annoyed at being woken up several hours before he needed to, but any day that started with Blaine was a good day. It would be better if Blaine had woken him up with kissing and snuggling rather than a text message, but there would be plenty of time for that later on. He hoped so, anyway.

He smiled to himself, amused at how far his mental state had come. There was not an ounce of confusion left. He knew what he wanted, and one way or another, he was going to get it. He might not be able to resist playfully torturing Blaine through parts of it, though. That Oscar Meyer Weiner thing was pure genius.

He wasn’t planning to play hard to get, though. Quite the opposite. He was playing a game of obviousness—how many clues could he give Blaine before Blaine finally got the courage to ask him out again? They’d played this game before, back when they’d first started dating. When Kurt had been waiting and waiting for Blaine to ask him out, but Blaine had never realized Kurt was even interested until he just came out and said it. Kurt wondered whether he’d have to do that again, or whether Blaine was more adept at picking up on his signals by now.

One way to make it more obvious was to play Blaine’s own game of memorable clothing choices. That first night they’d slept together, Kurt had been wearing a very distinctive pair of jeans with a little decorative rip on the thigh. He still had them. He’d wear them today. How much more obvious of a message could there be?

Kurt sighed, sifting through his jewelry box. He wanted the brooch with the scissors on a chain, for the craft of sewing and remaking. He’d worn it that same day, with these jeans, and it would be the perfect touch to wear it again. Blaine would surely remember. But he’d been wearing that brooch so much lately, what with his internship at Vogue.com and planning a possible career in fashion, that he’d gotten bored with it and hadn’t packed it for the trip to Lima. Oh well. He considered pinning on another piece of jewelry instead, but decided against it. He’d go unadorned today. Just him.

A dark green shirt, because he still felt very green, just as he had a few days ago. Thank goodness dark colors were no longer off limits. It expanded his available choices so much. And a light vest over it, unbuttoned, because he felt open. He wasn’t hiding.

Kurt looked himself up and down in the mirror. Excellent. He felt very much himself—not overly dramatic, not overly exposed, just presenting the normalcy that he felt today. Blaine would understand, he thought. Blaine would know what to do.

At the last minute, he stuck a handkerchief in his back pocket. Just to draw a bit of attention.

\--------------------------------------

But Blaine didn’t get the message, or else he didn’t run with it. Kurt wasn’t sure which. In the hallway at school, it had seemed that Blaine was on the cusp of asking him to get back together. But in the end all he’d asked was whether Kurt would stay for Regionals. Kurt wondered if he’d misread Blaine’s intent, or whether Blaine had changed his mind at the last minute. It was hard to tell.

“You must have known I’d say yes,” he teased, linking their arms and holding Blaine’s hand as they walked down the hall.

Surely this game could not last much longer. They were practically boyfriends again already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this ends without a complete resolution. I wanted to make it as happy as I could without altering the feel of the way the actual episode ended. I hope you've enjoyed it!


End file.
